MylesNaGapoleen wrote: ↑May 31st, 2023, 4:39 pm
IanD wrote: ↑May 31st, 2023, 3:40 pm
MylesNaGapoleen wrote: ↑May 31st, 2023, 3:06 pm
So, if London Irish get kicked out of the premiership, which is looking likely now...can the new consortium of USA backers + IRFU bring them into the URC?
If they can sort out the debt, joining the URC looks far more attractive than doing a salarycens in the championship.
From the BBC story I linked above
"While sources close to the takeover insist a deal is close, there remains concern about proof of funds and the exact identity of the prospective new owners."
So you want the IRFU to get into bed with a Consortium that we don't know who it belongs to and have yet to provide any proof of being able to finance a season in the Premiership.
Forgive me but that is plane daft.
If they have no cash for the season are you happy for the IRFU to fund London Irish to the detriment of the 4 pro clubs and all amateur clubs right down to the minis on a Saturday morning?
And that is before you sort out the debt of over £30 million. And - as posted above - the RFU won't allow English Clubs to be owned by other Unions. And - as posted above - rumours abound that the Consortium only want the assets of LI which amounts to their training ground as a base for NFL in Britain.
Besides all that it is a wonderful idea.
many kyboshed the idea of struggling SA teams joining the URC Ian.
quick SWOT:
strengths
1. london irish already has a solid brand & fanbase that will attend games.
2. London Irish is already screwed - nothing to lose.
opps
3. american backers are interested in the rugby brand long term and have cash
4. IRFU can provide players
5. TV money from URC is higher than championship.
6. joining URC will invigorate fans and increase fanbase.
weaknesses
7. it requires major financial gymnastics to offload/write off the debt
threats.
8. None. London irish is already finished if they do nothing and dive down into the championship. IRFU can ringfence themselves from any serious impact in the event of a catastrophe.
1 - not enough to stop them racking up debts of over £30 million
2 - I agree but I simply don't care about LI.
3 - absolute tosh. You can't prove that. Noone knows who is in the Consortium so how do you know their plans. They have repeatedly failed to provide proof of funds to the RFU.
4 - who pays these players? LI or IRFU? LI get money from the RFU for training English players. If the IRFU supply Irish players who makes up the shortfall in income?
5 - enough to clear £30 million of debt?
6 - how? No English Rugby publications praise the URC and as a threat to English Rugby the English press will hammer the club.
7 - between £30 & 35 million pounds of debt is a massive amount to wriggle out from.
8 - who says they will end up in the Championship? They could do a Wasps.
But you failed to address the most salient point. The RFU did not allow the Scottish Rugby Union do a tie up with London Scottish. They would have to sign off on any deal with the IRFU and LI. And simply put why would they?
Treat life like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!